The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Roxy on June 28, 2011, 12:06:52 pm

Title: My pekin cockerel has disappeared
Post by: Roxy on June 28, 2011, 12:06:52 pm

I am really upset, as I loved those two partridge pekin boys.  He went at tea time two days ago - he was there, and then an hour later, gone!!  No feathers, the other hens were not agitated.  The thing was, he never wandered far from his shed, so its a mystery.

I can only assume the fox came over the fence and grabbed him, without the llama seeing of course.  A sussex hen disappeared a few weeks ago in similar circumstances :(

Title: Re: My pekin cockerel has disappeared
Post by: SallyintNorth on June 28, 2011, 01:40:51 pm

So sorry to hear about your loss.

Could it have been a bird of prey?  Goshawk for instance?  Some friends in South Wales now only get or keep dark-coloured hens as all the white birds get picked off by their local gozzies.

Title: Re: My pekin cockerel has disappeared
Post by: little blue on June 28, 2011, 07:46:38 pm

aww, poor thing   :(
And I know you're not near Bermuda, so something must be taking them ... has The Chestnut centre lost a polecat or anything?!

Title: Re: My pekin cockerel has disappeared
Post by: Roxy on June 29, 2011, 12:16:05 am

 ;D Little Blue - if the polecat ventured in our field, it would get floored by one of the cats.  Not thought of bird of prey, but yes, we do have a few flying about, and being a nice bright colour, and not too large, poor pekin would be an ideal dinner.

Had a problem this time last year with half grown chicks going - think it was big birds feeding their young. Could be doing it again, but all the chicks we have are penned up.